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Now for tonight's story.
The Eight Ball, another adventure of George Valentine.
Dear Mr. Valentine, there's no finer, no more exclusive little town on the map than Summer Springs. You're not selling them real estate, Nielsen.
I'm writing this letter, Vic, be quiet. Shut the door, will you, Emmett? Sure, Nielsen. Boy, it's a little noisy. Guess the luncheon's broke out.
Ha! Civically. Just a lot of talk. None of them will ever do anything but the three of us. Always away, you know.
I don't know. You've only written one sentence. Shut up, Vic.
Than Summer Springs. Perhaps you've visited the hotel here yourself, Mr. Valentine, but at least it's a sure thing you've seen the outrageous charges the federal grand jury and city newspapers have been making about us.
Now, now, wait a minute, Nielsen. I'm still not so sure this is the right way to go at this.
Hear, hear. The mayor speaks.
Well, now, Vic, you're a lawyer. Would you hire a man you've never seen to investigate your own backyard?
Now, there's a man I know, a fine detective, who would be only too glad to come down here and-
My detective, like that police force of yours, I suppose, can't see what's under their own noses.
Well, I'm the responsible one, and it seems to me that I should be-
Emmett Wall is back to the wall, and his head is all full of surmises.
Now, she's here, Vic. You've got to stop being cautious sometime, Emmett. In my bank, I make decisions, and I make them fast.
Yes, but I-
I agree with Nielsen, Emmett. If we don't get an outside investigator quick, the grand jury will do it. I say let's us find out first. Clean up our own town.
Objections overruled. Now we're getting someplace.
Mr. Valentine, I'm enclosing railroad tickets. A public-spirited group, of which I am the head-
Three of us. Don't we sound fancy, though?
...expects your immediate presence. It has been alleged that Summer Springs is being used as the center of payoffs for the big city collection rackets.
That our fair town has a jackal in its midst, and it's your job to find it.
There.
Do it.
That's all right.
Now we'll get some action. I'll mail this right now. Only, see here, both of you, nobody knows about this but the three of us.
Remember, nobody else knows about Valentine.
They made a reservation for me at the Summer Springs Hotel, Brooke, so you can phone me up there.
George, why can't I go with you? Just because they don't expect me to come home.
Look, it's a five-alarm fire all set to go off, and you know it. Summer Springs is going to be hotter than the-
Nobody knows about you, just the men who rode.
Angel, I'm looking for a guy who poses as respectable, a big-timer who hasn't been identified. And if you were there, I wouldn't be able to duck as fast.
But there's nothing dangerous if nobody knows.
Hey, wait, Mr. Valentine.
Yeah?
The baggage man pointed you out.
Yeah?
I need your help. I need your luck. I got a case for you.
Sorry I'm tied up on one.
My grandmother's dead.
Oh, that's too bad.
My grandfather killed her. It was an accident.
What?
I'm not interested.
George.
You see, my aunt's insane at what happens to her.
I doubt if you ever had a grandmother, gorilla boy, or even a mother. Now say it in English and fast, because I'm not going to miss that train.
I've got a thousand bucks here for you to take my case. I could think of one.
Uh-huh. You mean if I don't take the train?
I don't mind. I could tell it to you on the way to Summer Springs.
That's where you think I'm going, huh?
No, just where you think you're going.
Somebody else does know.
Hey, Buster, get out of my way before I miss you.
Stay away. I'm telling you.
Oh, no, you don't.
George, look out!
Yeah, yeah, easy. We're attracting attention.
A corpse would attract more.
Who hired you?
A thousand bucks. Trip ain't necessary. Stay home.
Okay. Okay. Maybe you're right, mister. Too late now, anyway. There she goes.
It's a city kind of a trip. You wouldn't have enjoyed it.
Uh-huh. Shall we go count the money?
Sure. My name's Lemuel. You're a smart guy. I thought you'd see the light.
Yeah. I hope you do.
So you get to go after all, Angel.
Yeah, you get to drop me off in Summer Springs yourself from the car.
Not much of a hotel, is it?
For a fancy town like this, no more potted palms than usual.
Do I get to come in with you?
Sure, sure. Lemuel kept me off the train, didn't he?
Okay, then the more casual the better.
You mean whoever hired him won't be expecting you to show up now.
I mean, Lemuel isn't in condition to report for a while.
I do not care what the union says about chambermaids. I have an opinion, too, you know.
Have you been a clerk for 12 years? Well, have you? Oh, I'm so sorry, sir. Be just a moment.
Oh, no, no. Finish the phone call.
Now, listen, I don't care how many chambermaids you've known. Do you run a laundry service or a...
Oh, hold on, will you? I'm so sorry. Now, what was his name?
George Valentine. I've got a reservation.
No, I won't call the manager. He doesn't live here. What was the name, sir?
George Valentine.
Ah, let me see. Yes, he's in his room.
What?
At 350 towels, I told you. Not 340. Oh, for heaven's sake, hang on, will you?
What's the matter?
Well, I asked...
Oh, yes, yes, yes. It was George Valentine you asked for, wasn't it?
Well, he just checked in a few moments ago. Yes, he's in his room.
Oh, I'm so sorry. It's room 419. It's elevated to the right.
Um, but...
Oh, thanks a lot, Buster. Come on, Angel.
You see, my dear fellow, if the chambermaids don't count the towels...
But who is it, George? If somebody took your room...
Oh, I don't know, Brooksie. Looks like they're still one step ahead of us, whoever they are.
This essential amulet couldn't have revived in time.
Well, whoever the impersonator is in there, he doesn't seem to answer very fast.
Come on.
Yeah, sure. Of course he's dead.
Hey, shut that door.
There's no gun. I don't see a gun.
Shut the door, will you?
Shot all right.
George, he's about your same build.
Huh?
Around the same age.
Yeah. It is a briefcase over here under the bed.
It's a sample case, isn't it? The kind salesmen carry?
Neckties. Nothing but neckties.
Look, George, there's a key on the floor next to it.
Let me see. Yeah, to another room. 631.
Hey, wait a minute. Yeah.
Card in his wallet.
Sure, of course. Harold Stark, sure silk tie company from Salt Lake City.
Necktie salesman.
Only suppose he came in on the train tonight, George.
Yeah, sure. Single guy, looking generally my type.
You mean suppose he got picked up by somebody watching the hotel here, somebody expecting me.
So they kill him and put him in your room?
Wait a minute, wait a minute. Let it ring.
We ought to talk to the clerk, to the bell boy.
Now listen, whoever shot this guy did it and ran. Okay, then so will we.
George, that's crazy.
Isn't it? I was hired to find out who a big time collection man is in this town, right?
Only whoever it is got one jump ahead of us.
I can't even start working until I get out from behind the eight ball, can I?
Oh, George, that phone, it keeps ringing. Somebody's going to hear it.
What are you doing?
I'm putting my wallet, my own wallet on the body. What do you think?
No.
You take this guy, go back to that drive in on the edge of town, run a fast telephone check on him.
Harold Stark, Salt Lake City.
The clerk knows we're here. He'll keep ringing.
Wait until I grab the necktie. We'll dump him in the alley.
And I'll be out from behind the eight ball if I'm dead, won't I?
George.
I'll be free to find out those guys who hired me.
So come on, give the police a chance to find the body of George Valentine.
Well, yes, come in, Mr.
Valentine, I told you. Your name is Nielsen, isn't it? You sent for me, didn't you?
Yes, yes, of course.
Well, don't look like a ghost, like you're scared.
What do you want with me?
What's that?
Why do you keep your head in your pocket?
Because I want a cigarette. Look, see?
Now all I want is a little talk, Mr. Nielsen, with you and Mr. Pickery and Emmett Wall, the mayor.
You know all of our names.
Well, sure, of course. Here's the letter you wrote me.
Ah, I'm beginning to get this. Have you just had a phone call or something?
Yes, I have, as a matter of fact, from Pickery.
He happened to be at police court.
For once, they worked fast in this town.
A patrolman has reported the murder of George Valentine.
Uh-huh. Okay, sit down. I'll explain if you will.
I have nothing to-
Buster, I'll use your phone. Prove it to you, the police here in the city.
I know you've never seen my face, but they can identify my voice for you.
Here, let me have it.
Oh, no. Hello?
George?
Oh, yeah, what'd you find out, Brooks?
I found out that you're crazy, absolutely crazy.
What?
Darling, I tried to contact those people in Salt Lake, but I can't.
I mean, I got the company, all right, but nothing about Harold Star.
Why not?
They've never even heard of him.
Nobody by that name has ever sold neckties.
Don't you see what you've done?
Throw away that wallet, George.
The man who was killed was a phony. You can't be somebody that doesn't exist.
All right, I believe you. I agree you're Valentine.
Then you realize how fast I got to work, Nielsen.
I told you what Miss Brooks said.
The body was a plant of some kind. This thing gets deeper every minute.
And you haven't even started your investigation.
Whoever the man is I'm after is calling the shots in advance.
And you claimed only three of you knew about me.
Yes, yes, I understand. You think it's one of us.
But I'm afraid it doesn't make much difference.
I'm afraid it's not.
Yes, yes, I understand. You think it's one of us. But I'm afraid it doesn't make much difference if I do help you now.
What do you mean by that?
Mr. Valentine, I'm not a cowardly man. But I'll admit, when you knocked on the door...
Yeah, sure, you were scared to death.
What's that got to do with...
Valentine, I don't think you realize yet just how far behind that eight ball you are.
That same patrolman who found the body also saw a man and woman throw away a briefcase in an alley.
You and Miss Brooks, there was identification with the neckties.
At the door just now, I thought you were the man every policeman in town is looking for, Harold Stark.
He doesn't exist, you say? His description is yours. And you know who you are?
Never mind, never mind. I get it. I dug my own grave, didn't I? Yeah, I killed George Valentine.
We turn to tonight's adventure of George Valentine in just a moment.
Here's a true story about a man from Arizona and the trip he was about to make across the Mojave Desert.
At midnight, he was in Phoenix, bags packed, ready to go, half a tank of gasoline.
Plancing at his watch and at the fuel gauge, he thought, well, I probably could get across that desert, but maybe I'd better play it safe.
He drove into a service station and told the man on duty, just fill the tank with your premium gas, but don't take time to check under the hood.
Yes, sir, replied the attendant, just fill the tank with Chevron Supreme.
But when he noticed all the luggage, he asked, you sure you don't want me to make sure the water and oil are at the safe level just in case?
All right, but hurry, please. In less than a minute, the attendant was back.
Water's fine, sir, but it looks like you have an oil leak, and we'd better find out what's causing it.
Otherwise, I'm afraid you'll run out of oil in the middle of the desert, and that would mean a burned-out engine.
A few weeks later, the motorist from Arizona wrote us about this experience, then added,
many thanks for keeping me from getting stalled out there in no man's land.
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And now, back to tonight's adventure of George Valentine.
It's quite simple. Three men want you to find out who's been using the little town of Summer Springs
as collection headquarters for the city rackets.
They want you to do this before the federal grand jury moves in.
Well, if your name is George Valentine, you think this might be an interesting case, if you could ever get to work on it.
Yes, the trouble so far is in getting out from behind the egg ball, because as matters now stand,
you're wanted by the police for murdering yourself.
Well, Valentine, for once it seems the police wasted no time discovering a mistake, that George Valentine was not killed.
Well, that's nice to know. You mean they re-identified that body I found?
Clarence Prell, up-and-coming accountant. His name's been mixed up in this thing already.
He's been making a tremendous amount of money the past few years. It's just possible our big shot is already dead.
Well, why would this man, this accountant, have the identification of Harold Stark on him?
Who killed him? Who put it there? Who put him there in my hotel room?
Now listen to me, Valentine. You can get to work now. You're off the hook. They know it's not your body.
Now look, I've been in trouble because it wasn't kept secret that you three were hiring me. Is that right?
No, there you go again. We're honest. Stupid. Yes, but honest. None of us are mixed up in any rackets.
Okay, okay, skip it. But even if the big shot isn't one of you, you're now in the way, aren't you?
What?
You're being wanted by the police, but if the killer with Strong Boys knows about me, he also then knows about you.
Yeah. Lock your doors tonight.
Shh. Turn out those lights. Huh?
The car just stopped out there. I could see the lights blinking.
Take it easy, Nielsen. It's only Miss Brooks. I'll see you later.
Oh, George, sometimes I think you're the eight ball.
Angel, the heat's on the big shot, whoever he is, a lot more than it's on me.
Come on, we're going in here.
Where, the drugstore?
Yeah. Got a nickel in your purse?
Yeah. Why don't you go straight to the mayor himself?
Brooks, see, I need a little more time to work alone. You're going to give it to me.
What?
The mayor's got his own ideas. I've got mine. But if I don't work fast, a lot of people are liable to get hurt.
This... Hello, operator, I want a policeman. This Mr. Rex will do anything to cover his tracks before a full investigation.
George, what on earth are you doing?
Hey, police, look. I just heard that thing on the radio. I mean that description of that guy and that girl, that Harold Stark with the girl who was dressed...
Well, slow down, how can I? I just seen her, the girl, having a soda... Hey, what's her name? Oh, yeah, question was drugstore. She's wearing a...
You rat.
...a brown coat. You better come and get it quick.
George, Valentine, of all the dirty tricks...
I'm not getting hurt, Angel. Tell them to look for me any place but the Summer Springs Hotel, room 631. Now, you play 8-Ball for a while.
8-Ball, room 31. Key fits all right. Ouch. Where are the lights in this place? Oh, no. How long have you been dead, Baldi?
Just about as long as the other guy, I guess. Only what's your name? Are you the real Harold Stark? Are you the...
Oh, I didn't go out with him. Since I went out with him, who said that? Who said that?
Oh, where in the... Hey, where am I? Hey, who in the name of... Shut up. People in the next room. Hey, Lemuel. Yeah. It's a lousy hotel to let anybody in.
I thought I knocked you out of the picture before once. Where even? I didn't hit you hard enough either. Yeah, you're out of condition, Buster. That's bad. You kill that guy?
I was with you and another Tom. Don't talk so long. All right, all right. Hey, wait a minute. What are you trying to... Hey, get out of my pocket. What's the idea?
There's a gun in your stomach. Don't argue. Well, why put a gun in my pocket, too? It's empty. Don't get your hopes up. Be quiet.
Another wallet, too? If you think you can frame me for killing this guy, whoever he is, you're crazy. I'm not. Cops don't kill cops. What?
Can't you tell flat feet when you see him his name's Harold Stark? An eye that got shot. Like you're gonna be. Oh, so that's it. Yeah, sure, there is a Stark, a detective.
Came to town acting like a necktie salesman, huh? Ouch. Let me get in that chair. What are you... Sure. You're fixed. You got everything.
Wait a minute. Two guns. Two guns I got in my pocket. That's a lot. There's two men dead, aren't there? You're a bright boy, a real up-and-coming eye. Dead eye.
Yeah, yeah, sure. The real Stark, dead in this room. Dead accountant named Prell, dead in my room. So come on, bright boy, get on your feet. Yeah, sure.
Look out. Get away from that... Hello, anybody?
Yeah, that's better. Here, now, talk to the wire. Dead like you were. Now on your feet, like I said. Hey, listen. The people next door, they've stopped talking. Yeah, they heard me.
Look strong, brain. You're a sucker. Who do you work for? They didn't hear nothing. Two guys have been murdered. First the detective here, then Prell. Somebody's going to swing for it.
Now shut up, like I said. Hey, what's going on in there? Can't people have no privacy? You're listening. That's what you're doing.
Enough of the love it. Walk, will you? Go on the door. Alright, alright, alright. Plenty of standing room. Don't shove. Well, what are you listening to? You think you hear something? You hear something of all the mirrors.
Now out the door. Okay, okay. Just thought you might not want the guy who's coming down the hall to see you. What?
Oh, it's only the desk clerk. Get back in there. What's going on here? What the hell is that? What do you think you're doing? Come on, get out of the way, fast. Let go of me. Really?
Okay, he's not going to shoot. Shoot? What kind of a disturbance is this? This is not the sort of hotel you get. Wait a minute. I've seen you before. Yeah, you're the guy who gave out my description, I guess.
No, no, I didn't give any description. Oh, you're the laundry man. Oh no, no, that's what I was talking about. I remember you're the... Oh.
Well, see, there was a mix-up on the moon. Come on, skip it. Just show me the fastest way out. No, but get that gun away from me.
That big man in there, was there anybody with him when he came into the hotel? What? No, no. Yes, I mean, yes. There are several men down the lobby. I don't know who they are.
You're wanted by the police. That's all I know. The back stairs then. Where are they? Come on. I won't help a criminal. Come on, don't argue, friend.
All right. Here, here, duck in here. There are several policemen in the hotel too. There are cars at the alley entrance.
You're going to find me a way out, so stop shaking. I didn't kill anybody. The police don't think I did. Why not?
Now look, you. I'm just a guy behind the eight ball, see. There's a big crook in your town, Clarence Prell. You know him? No.
An accountant. Man in a nice spot to take payoffs coming in from the city. But Prell is dead, so he's not the crook. What? Oh, for heaven's sake.
Find me a way out of here or people will be wrong. They'll think he was the crook. They'll say he killed a detective named Harold Stock who was on his trail.
Let them say what they want. They'll say I killed Prell, maybe in self-defense. But I was real smart and collected all the evidence, including the guns.
Then poor Valentine. He was on his way to get himself out of trouble with the police when something happened to him.
You're mad. You're worse than the laundry people. Now look, Buster, I'm telling you all this so you'll help. It's a frame-up, see.
To get rid of two private detectives and take the heat off by making Prell look like the big shot. A triple play.
Here we are. Here. Give me a hand with the window.
Okay. Only six stories up. I forgot my umbrella. I can't jump, Buster.
No, no, no, no. Look out there, you see, to the side. It's an old fire escape. It hasn't been used since we built the new wing.
But it comes down in the service yard. This is the side street. Yeah. Well, go on. How much help do you need?
Oh, there's no one down there. Here, you see. Yeah. Yeah, sure, I see. Uh-huh. Little rusty, though, isn't it?
Well, what do you expect? A red carpet? I expect you to go first. Lead the way. What?
It just occurred to me it's not so bad being behind an eight ball if you've got the cue in your hand.
Mr. Valentine, for the love of... Remember the gun, Buster. Lead the way.
Now, tell me, why do you call me Valentine? Why not Prell or Stark? Or any of the other names thrown around tonight?
Well, Baccar, Lemuel called you Valentine. How do you know his name?
Well, I'm a hotel clerk. I see lots of people. And that switchover of rooms today. I don't see how anybody could have done it but the hotel clerk himself.
But what on earth are you talking about?
Human nature. How you and your boy Lemuel found out about my coming here.
How I? An accountant sees lots of people, sure. But a hotel clerk sees a lot more.
Now, who's in a better spot to receive payoff deliveries on the QT than the man behind the desk?
I'm going back... You're going nowhere. Now, listen, Buster. It had to either be one of my three clients or you.
What? Yeah, so take human nature again.
It couldn't be one of them or why get me in it. But they did write the letter right after a Civic League luncheon.
What do you mean, human nature?
I mean how people mail letters in hotels. In a hotel you just hand the letter to the clerk to mail, don't you?
Get out of my way. I'm going back.
What's the matter? Don't these rusty stairs go on down there? Do they just fall off in the dark someplace?
Yeah, it's you who's going to fall off in the dark.
You're afraid of the gun, are you? You already know it's not loaded. Just evidence to be found on the patsy.
Look out! Don't!
This is where you get racked up eight balls.
No!
Back to George Valentine in just a moment.
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But George, how did you get off that fire escape? It was rusty. You would have fallen through. That's why I led you out there.
What do you expect me to do? Hey, hey, hey, hey, slow down, will you?
How'd you get out of jail, Angel? Oh, George, please, I want to understand.
Oh, he was a guy, all right, the hotel clerk. Yeah, he kept the job so nobody'd ever guess, as well as because it was such a perfect spot for payoffs.
He knew the heat was on when he heard I was coming, and Lemio couldn't stop me. He had me all set for a double fancy frame.
But that other detective? Well, the mayor said he wanted to handle things himself, didn't he? But he knew a man he wanted to hire.
Harold Stark, posing as a necktie salesman.
Yeah, and that accountant had been working with the clerk on the rackets, so he figured he'd make him fall guy. Strictly from desperation, Angel. But it all might have worked.
But you would have died accidentally, fallen, and been killed, and that would have been the end of it.
Only how on earth, after you knocked him out, how did you get him off the fire escape?
How did you get out of jail? Well, you saw him. That big, good-looking policeman.
So what? You said you didn't tell him anything. No.
Well? He was very sweet. Well, he... I mean, after a while, there was no reason to hold me. In jail, I mean.
Oh, why, Brooksie. And... Well, why should I tell you if you won't tell me?
Good night, Georgie.
Tonight's adventure of George Valentine has been brought to you by Standard Oil Company of California on behalf of independent Chevron gas stations and standard stations throughout the West.
Robert Bailey is starred as George, with Virginia Gregg as Brooksie.
Let George Do It is written by David Victor and Jackson Gillis and directed by Don Clark.
Bill Conrad was heard as Lemuel. Bob Jellison as the clerk. Her Butterfield as Nielsen. Will Ride as Vickery. And Stanley Farrar as Wall.
Music is composed and presented by Eddie Dunstetter, your announcer, John Heaston.
Listen again next week, same time, same station, to Let George Do It.
Let George Do It is heard overseas through the worldwide facilities of the Armed Forces Radio Service.
This is the Mutual Don Lee Broadcasting System.